- A
MTTD (Mean Time to Detect)
Correct. Measures detection speed.
- B
SLA (Service Level Agreement) compliance percentage
Why wrong: SLA is broader, not a specific IR metric.
- C
MTBF (Mean Time Between Failures)
Why wrong: MTBF is a reliability metric, not IR-specific.
- D
MTTR (Mean Time to Respond)
Correct. Measures response speed.
- E
Number of firewall rules
Why wrong: Unrelated to IR effectiveness.
Question 889 of 1,000
SSCP Incident Response and Recovery Practice Question
This SSCP practice question tests your understanding of incident response and recovery. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
Which TWO metrics are commonly tracked to measure the effectiveness of the incident response process? (Select TWO)
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
MTTD (Mean Time to Detect)
MTTD (Mean Time to Detect) measures the average time from when an incident occurs until it is detected, directly reflecting the speed of detection capabilities. MTTR (Mean Time to Respond) measures the average time from detection to containment or remediation, indicating the efficiency of the response process. Both are key performance indicators (KPIs) for incident response effectiveness as defined in NIST SP 800-61 and industry frameworks.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
MTTD (Mean Time to Detect)
Why this is correct
Correct. Measures detection speed.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
SLA (Service Level Agreement) compliance percentage
Why it's wrong here
SLA is broader, not a specific IR metric.
- ✗
MTBF (Mean Time Between Failures)
Why it's wrong here
MTBF is a reliability metric, not IR-specific.
- ✓
MTTR (Mean Time to Respond)
Why this is correct
Correct. Measures response speed.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Number of firewall rules
Why it's wrong here
Unrelated to IR effectiveness.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the distinction between operational metrics (MTTD, MTTR) and reliability metrics (MTBF) or configuration counts, so candidates mistakenly select MTBF or firewall rules because they sound technical but are irrelevant to incident response effectiveness.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
MTTD is calculated by summing the detection times for all incidents and dividing by the number of incidents, often using timestamps from SIEM alerts or intrusion detection systems. MTTR includes the time for analysis, containment, eradication, and recovery, and is tracked via incident management platforms like ServiceNow or Splunk. In practice, a low MTTD combined with a high MTTR may indicate detection is fast but response actions are delayed, highlighting a bottleneck in the response workflow.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A developer is choosing between AES-256 (symmetric) and RSA-2048 (asymmetric) for encrypting a large file that will be sent to a partner. Symmetric encryption is fast but requires key exchange; asymmetric is slower but solves the key distribution problem. A hybrid approach — encrypt the file with AES, encrypt the AES key with RSA — is standard. Questions like this test whether you understand when each approach applies.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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Incident Response and Recovery — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SSCP question test?
Incident Response and Recovery — This question tests Incident Response and Recovery — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: MTTD (Mean Time to Detect) — MTTD (Mean Time to Detect) measures the average time from when an incident occurs until it is detected, directly reflecting the speed of detection capabilities. MTTR (Mean Time to Respond) measures the average time from detection to containment or remediation, indicating the efficiency of the response process. Both are key performance indicators (KPIs) for incident response effectiveness as defined in NIST SP 800-61 and industry frameworks.
What should I do if I get this SSCP question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
This SSCP practice question is part of Courseiva's free ISC2 certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the SSCP exam.
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